Denis Cotter - For the Love of Food

Denis Cotter's latest cookbook is finally available. It's called 'For the Love of Food' and the love here not only includes the food and cooking but also his new girlfriend. I personally believe that Denis Cotter is one of the most creative cooks and his book doesn't disappoint. His message that he is trying to bring across is 'Share the food with people you love'.

I can't wait to try some of the recipes - Lucy's breakfast sausages (Lucy is Ultan Walsh partner and an amazing cook in her own rights), cauliflower soup with hazelnut gougeres and beetroot risotto with lemon-fennel oil, goat's cheese and broad beans - so watch this space for updates on the recipes.

The book is divided into breakfast (or brunch), salads (as always very interesting), risotto (obviously my favourite chapter), soup (some strange combination here), mash (more interesting than you might think), all wrapped up (just one springroll here), bowls (nope, not only soups but one bowl meals), oven (a type of pizza called farinata and more) and sweetness (would have wished for more recipes in this chapter)....

His previous books have a different feel to it but nevertheless, it is Denis Cotter through and through....he was never really keen on desserts (not sure if he doesn't like cooking for eating desserts) but he has included a few and I think I am going to try Lavender set Custard with honey and berries.....watch this space...

happy cooking

Irish Masterchef is coming

I am a big fan of BBC Masterchef - where amateur chefs are fighting for the title of Masterchef. John Torode and the most annoying Greg Wallace are the judges in this show - and their favourite quote is: 'Cooking doesn't get tougher than this'. The standard expected is very high - and I mean VERY high. Candidates have to create a meal from selected ingredients, have to work in a professional kitchen and have to create 2 courses they have designed themselves - and that is only to get through to the next round.

Anyhow, this is an amazing show as it gives people the chance to prove that they can cook for food critics, can survive the busy kitchen of a restaurant and cook for Michelin Star Chefs .... and it is coming to Ireland. RTE is looking for participants. If you are interested, log on to RTE and apply online - you can also download the application form. The Irish judges will be Dylan McGrath (he used to run the Mint restaurant in Dublin for which he received a Michelin star) and Nick Munier (best known as restaurant manager in Hell's Kitchen with Marco Pierre White and now owner of Pichet in Dublin).... can't wait to see the show and good luck to all candidates....

Perfect Scrambled Eggs

How often has it happened that you treated yourself to breakfast and ordered scrambled eggs (maybe with bacon, maybe with salmon) and you got served the worste eggs ever.....to all these chefs who can't make scrambled eggs..... please take a page out of Gordon's book

Galloping Gourmet meets his match

Last Week

The start of last week was very quiet, didn't do much other than tomato chutney. Thursday I was suppose to go to Bubble Brother's wine tasting in the castle but decided instead to pay Cork Free Choice Consumer Group a visit in the Crawford Gallery. Ann Crowley who spent years in the Middle East introduced vegetarian food from Lebanon, Egypt etc. She shared some of her early memories on how food played an important part of everyday life. She was joined by Zico Ali (from Annie's Gastro Pub) who cooked up some amazing dishes and Samah (didn't catch the last name) who told us a bit about Egyptian Christians. There were too many dishes to list them all but I hope that Zico will publish a cook book soon..... (my wishful thinking anyway).

Lorraine invited me to her first wine night in Blarney and it was a great success. We were 6 girls (and all giggly) and each one brought a bottle of white wine. And as always, tastes are different and it was amazing to see how we rated the wines. Forgot to get the overall rating from Lorraine. Anyhow, the food was amazing, the wine kept coming and the company was outstanding....had a great time (only problem was, I had to get up early on Saturday to go to college)

Carol came over last night and we had a lovely bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon and had a girly heart to heart. Today is going to be a bit easy. Have to do some studying and meeting some friends later in Mahon....and we are ready for the new week ahead.

Hope ye all had a great weekend as well - keep dining and wining...

Richard Corrigan: Christmas Cook-a-long

Richard Corrigan will be cooking live on Tuesday (tomorrow) a complete Christmas Dinner....and you can call in with questions. Selected viewers will cook a long Richard in their own homes. This concept was quite successful with Gordon Ramsay and it is highly entertaining. The show will be broadcasted in 2 parts starting at 7pm on RTE1 and again at 8:30.

'Live from Farmleigh House in the Phoenix Park, Richard Corrigan - with the help of Mary Kennedy - cooks the perfect Christmas dinner in real time. The show will be transmitted live in two sections, 19:00-19:30 and 20:30-21:00. The Meath master chef will interact live with the audience at home, allowing viewers to participate with their questions about this once-a-year culinary challenge. The show will also feature festive choral music.'

Keith Floyd Died Yesterday

...really sad news. Keith Floyd died yesterday at the age of 65 of a heart attack at his partners house in UK.

I loved Keith Floyd for his zest of life, his love for food and wine, his sense of humour and for being the most funniest chef (apart from the galopping chef). It was always great to watch him cooking at different locations like a fishing boat in a fierce storm or in a French kitchen where the housewife told him his food is crap.

His autobiography was just published.....I will definitely get it.